Retractable ventilating hood



May 3, 1966 J. E. STALKER RETRACTABLE VENTILATING HOOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1964 INVENTOR. Jwmea f; @Ym/m May 3, 1966 J. EJSTALKER RETRACTABLE VENTILATING HOOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1964 M/ R0 m a. 6 v M W 5 M m rllllliklllllllu Tn em & Trw

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United States Patent 3,249,037 RETRACTABLE VENTILA'I'ING HOOD James E. Stalker, Richardson, Tex., assignor to Home Metal Products Company, Plano, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Apr. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 360,908 15 Claims. (Cl. 98-115) This invention relates to a retractable kitchen ventilating hood, and more particularly to a hood having maximum carrying capacity while occupying a minimum volume, and at the same time being mechanically stable for substantial ease of use.

In a further aspect, the invention provides for limited ventilation in response to elevated temperatures when the system is telescoped to a closed position.

This invention involves a hood of the type generically disclosed in Patent 3,031,946 to Watt et al. The invention is directed to feature to a retractable hood which will lend itself to convenience in use and provide for limited ventilation, even when retracted in response to elevated temperatures.

In ventilating kitchens and the like, it is desirable to minimize the space occupied by the ventilating system itself and at the same time to provide for optimum op- The present invention is particularly directed to a retractable hood for use over a cooking area, mountable under a cabinet overlying the cooking area. A casing of rectangular shape includes structure forming an exhaust flow channel connected to a rear portion of the casing. A fan is supported in the casing and actuated to discharge air through the flow channel. A drawer is slidably mounted in the casing and has a front portion for closing the casing with a perforate zone therein. A filter element is located at an intermediate transverse location in the drawer. A handle is provided on the front of the drawer overlying the perforate zone. Means responsive to the flow of air through the perforate zone at elevated temperatures will energize the fan. The fan is energized as above noted at a relatively low level. Means are provided for energizing the fan at a high level when the drawer is open.

In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a track means for support of the drawer which can be fabricated as a portion of the drawer as to present a pleasing, fiat end surface for the drawer while providing low friction support.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference may now be had to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the present invention with the hood open;

FIGURE 2 is a front view with the front cover panel removed and with parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic diagram of a control system for the hood.

FIGURE 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention in which the hood is adapted to be secured to the lower surface of the kitchen cabinets 11 (shown dotted) and to overlie a cooking area. The hood 10 is provided with outlet ducts 12 at a central rear portion of the upper panel. While not shown, a similar pair of ducts are provided at the corresponding location on the vertical rear panel of the hood 10. Ducts 12 on both the top and rear panels preferably are formed as knock-out elements so that the exhaust duct leading from the hood 10 3,249,037 Patented May 3, 1956 "Ice may be directed upwardly from the upper surface, or rearwardly from the back surface.

The hood 10 includes a filter drawer 13, which has a closed top panel 14 and is characterized by having smooth unbroken side or end panels, such as the panel 15. The front of drawer 13 is provided with a suitable trim fixture 16. The drawer front may be decoratively designed as to include a handle 17. Handle 17 extends across a substantial portion of the width of the drawer 13.

In FIGURE 1, the handle 17 is broken away so that a slot 18 appears behind the handle 17 leading into the interior of the drawer 13.

In practice, the drawer 13 normally will be fully closed or telescoped within a hood 10, except when it is to be employed to exhaust cooking vapors and the like. However, when fully retracted and held in a closed position by a latch or detent, conditions sometimes are encountered wherein elevated temperatures are present over the cooking area and it is desired to exhaust the same. The invention as will hereinafter be described provides a heat-responsive element immediately behind the slot 18 to energize the exhaust fan. When the temperature of any connection currents passing through the slot 18 reaches a predetermined level, the exhaust fan is energized at low speed to provide for discharge of the heated air. The drawer 13 also is provided with means for automatically energizing the exhaust fan at a high level when the drawer 13 is open.

FIGURES 2-5 illustrate details of one embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIGURES 2-4, the hood 10 is comprised of an outer casing which is relatively thinwalled. The drawer 13 is mounted on six rollers, three on each side. As seen in FIGURE 2, rollers 44 and 46 are mounted on plates 45 and 47 respectively, plates 45 and 47 are positioned inside the hood in the lower right and upper right corners, respectively. The shafts on which the rollers are mounted are tilted inwardly at an angle of about 10. The rollers engage the drawer 13 in relatively shallow grooves formed in the end member which includes a flat end plate 42. As best seen in FIGURES 3 and 4, the right side of the drawer is supported by the upper roller 46 and lower rollers 44 and 48. Rollers 44 and 48 are mounted on plate 45 and are located near the front of the hood and on opposite sides of a vertical line passing through the axis of roller 46. Thus, two rollers support the bottom of the drawer and one roller serves as a guide at the top of the drawer. The same construction is present on. the left side where lower roller 50 and upper roller 51 serve to operate in the upper and lower grooved or channeled portions of the end plate 53.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, the front cover plate 13 has handle 17 mounted thereon and a slot 18 extending therethrough. A heat-sensitive control element is mounted on a bracket behind the front panel 19 in the flow path of air which pases upwardly through the slot 18. Since the handle 17 slopes downwardly and out wardly from panel 19, it will deflect air flowing upwardly over the face of the hood into the slot 18.

Immediately behind the front panel 19 is a filter element 23 mounted in sloping brackets. The filter element 23 extends across the width of the hood from the end panel member 24 to the end panel member 25 as seen in FIG- URE 2. The drawer 13 is also provided With a second bracket 27 so that, if desired, a charcoal-activated filter may be mounted immediately behind the filter 23.

When the drawer 13 is opened, the zone 22 in the bottom of the drawer is open to receive upward flow of air which will then pass through the filter 23 (and a filter in bracket 27) as propelled by a squirrel-cage fan unit 26. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the fan unit 26 includes a pair of fan elements driven by a motor 28. The fan unit is mounted by brackets 29 onto the back wall of the 3 hood so that air will be exhausted through the rear of the hood. It is possible to remove the fan unit 26 from the rear wall and attach it to face upwardly so that the exhaust can be vertical from ports in the upper rear surface.

With the handle 17 serving as a vane or scoop, convection currents flow through opening 18 to impinge the sensor 30. When convection currents reach a predetermined temperature a control switch will be closed to energize the motor 28. A switch unit 3 1 is mounted at the rear of the hood and is adapted to cooperate with an operator 32 carried by the drawer 13. When the operator 32 engages the switch 31, the high speed circuit for the motor 28 is de-energized. When the drawer 13 is opened, the switch 31 energizes the motor 28 for high speed operation. The support system for drawer 13 provides for smooth action which is free from binding. The top and bottom panels 14 and 43 are secured to the front panel. Each side of the drawer is formed by an unbroken panel, formed from sheet metal. The upper channel 40 and the lower channel 41 are formed in the same sheet, so that the unbroken side panel presents a pleasing appearance when the drawer is open.

The rollers 44 and 46 are formed of nylon or Teflon, or similar material, and provide a substantially frictionfree contact as the drawer moves in and out. In the closedposition, drawer 13 is provided with a detent. In one form the detent may be a positive latch 60. By this means, the operator 3-2 is maintained in contact with switch 31.

Control for a system where the drawer is latched, is shown in one form in FIGURE 5. In this circuit, alternating current is supplied from input terminals 70 to the motor 28, by way of a plunger-actuated switch 71. When the operator 32 is in contact with the unit 31, the switch 71 will be open so that the motor 28 will not be energized through the circuit including switch 71. However, the motor 28 may be energized at a low speed by way of a control unit 72 connected to terminals 70 by way of conductors 73.

A push-button 74 is provided at the front of the drawer to actuate the control unit 72 for energization of a latch release solenoid 75. When solenoid 75 is energized, the latch 60 will be lifted, permitting the drawer to open under the operation of a spring 61, shown in FIGURE 4. The temperature-sensing element 30 positioned behind the slot 18 is also connected to the control unit 72, as by way of conductors 76.

When the temperature reaches a preset level, as con trolled by the unit 7 2, alternating current from conductors 73 will be applied, by way of channel 77, which includes a dropping resistor, to the motor 28 to operate the fan at a relatively low speed. The control unit 72 may also actuate the solenoid 75 to release the drawer when the temperature sensed by the element 30 exceeds a predetermined level. In a practical case, the level at which the motor 28 would start to operate with the drawer closed would be considerably lower than the level at which the latch 60 would release the drawer causing it to be opened for application of full voltage to the motor 28' to drive the same at high speed.

Where it is desired to simplify the structure somewhat, the latch 60 and the push button 74 may be eliminated in favor of a simple gravity-controlled detent for the drawer unit 13 so that when the drawer is pushed to a closed position, the detent will produce force sufficient to actuate the push button unit 31. The drawer thus is held closed and the motor 28 is de-energized.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a chemical fire extinguisher 78 is mounted inside the hood to spray the area under the hood when the temperature of the air flowing through the hood reaches a temperature substantially above that at which the latch 60 is actuated. As shown, the unit 78 is controlled by unit 72 but it may be self-controlled. The invention provides a retractable ventilating hood in which the drawer portion has unbroken side wall panels mounted on relatively friction-free support means with a vented front panel through which convection currents may pass to energize a control means for fan motor control.

It will now be recognized that simple filtering .as by a filter 23 of metal foil, may be employed. The unit may also include a charcoal filter mounted in holder 27 so that the return air may flow from the fan 25 through ducts in side panel 15, for example, in a direct return to flow into the room in which the hood is located. In such case, a ductless hood would be provided and could readily be convertible from a ducted to a ductle's-s environment at the time of installation. A telescoping duct leading from fan 26 and extending through the side panel structures would provide flow paths for the filtered air.

In supporting the drawer, it will be preferable that at least on roller at each top inside corner be provided. In some installations, it has been found desirable to install a dual roller system in both the top and bottom corners for support and control of the drawer.

Having described the invention in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that further modifications may now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and it is intended to cover such modifications as fall' within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A ventilating device which comprises:

(a) a five-sided casing having a reotangularly open front for operation above a cooking area,

(b) fan means supported in said casing for discharge of air through the rear portion of said casing,

(c) a filter drawer in said casing having a front panel with a perforate zone therein,

(d) a power controlmeans for said fan means including a control element in said drawer adjacent to said perforate zone to drive said fan means at a low speed when the temperature of convection current flowing through said perforate zone exceeds a predetermined level, and- (e) a separate circuit responsive to the opening of said drawer to drive said fan at high speed.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the front panel of said drawer has an elongated slot extending the width of said drawer with a handle overlying said slot and forming a bafiie for directing convection currents into said slot.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said drawer is normally restrained within said casing by a resilient bias member, and atemperature-sensing element inthe path of convection cur-rents flowing to said perforate zone actuates said power control means and releases said drawer when said convection currents reach a predetermined temperature.

4. The combination set forth' in claim 3 in which the temperature-sensing means and said power control means are preset to release said drawer at a higher temperature than the temperature at which said fan is initially energized.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the side panels of said drawer are planar with the top and bottom edges of said panels having shallow longitudinal channels, and angularly oriented disk rollers mounted on the bottom and the top of said casing to travel in said channels for low friction movement of said drawer into and out of said casing.

6. A ventilating device which comprises:

(a) a casing of generally rectangular shape adapted to be supported above a cooking area,

(b) a fan supported in said casing to discharge air through the rear portion of said casing,

(c) a drawer slidably mounted in said casing with a filter elementat an intermediate transverse location therein and having a front panel closing said casing with a perforate zone therein,

(d) an energizing circuit for said fan including a circuit control element adjacent said perforate zone for energizing said fan at a low level when the temperature of convection current flowing through said perforate zone exceeds a predetermined level, and

(e) means responisve to opening of said drawer to actuate said fan at a high level.

7. A kitchen ventilating hood which comprises:

(a) an elongated casing sized to fit under a kitchen cabinet with an open front and an exhaust opening in the upper rear portion thereof,

(b) a drawer sized to fit in said casing having side panels, the upper and lower edges of which have shallow longitudinal channels therein, said drawer having a perforated front panel, a closed top panel, a bottom panel open across the front portion thereof and a filter back panel,

(0) a pair of rollers mounted in each front bottom corner of said casing with the rollers of each pair spaced apart along said corners for registration in the bottom grooves in said side panels,

(d) at least one roller mounted near each upper front corner of said casing to register in the top grooves in said side panels,

(e) a heat-sensitive element mounted inside said drawer in the flow of air through said perforate zone,

(f) a fan mounted in said casing behind said drawer coupled to said exhaust opening, and

(g) means for controlling said fan in response to the output of said element.

8. The combination set forth in claim 7 in which means are provided for controlling the position of said drawer in response to said element.

9. A kitchen ventilating hood which comprises:

(a) an elongated casing sized to fit under a kitchen cabinet over a cooking area with an open front and an exhaust opening in the rear portion thereof,

(b) a filter drawer sized to fit in said casing having a perforate bottom panel, a front panel, and imperforate side panels, the upper and lower edges of the side panels having shallow longitudinal grooves therein,

(c) a pair of rollers mounted in each bottom front corner of said casing with the rollers of each pair spaced apart along said corners for registration in the bottom grooves of said side panels,

(d) at least one roller near each front upper corner of said casing to register in the top grooves in said side panels,

(e) a fan mounted in said casing behind said drawer coupled to said exhaust opening, and

(f) means for energizing said fan when said drawer is open.

10. The combination of claim 9 in which the rollers in the top corners are located at a depth position intermediate the depth positions of the rollers in the bottom corners.

11. The combination of claim 9 in which the shafts for said rollers are tilted at an angle to the plane of said bottom panel.

12. A kitchen ventilating hood which comprises:

(a) an elongated casing sized to fit under a kitchen cabinet over a cooking area with an open front and an exhaust opening in the rear portion thereof,

(b) a filter drawer sized to fit in said casing having a perforate bottom panel, a front panel, and imperforate side panels, the upper and lower edges of the side panels having shallow longitudinal grooves therein,

(c) a pair of rollers mounted in each botton front corner of said casing with the rollers of each pair spaced apart along said corners for registration in the bottom grooves to said side panels,

(d) at least one roller near each front upper corner of said casing to register in the top grooves in said side panels,

(e) a heat-sensitive element mounted in said drawer,

(f) a fan mounted in said casing behind said drawer coupled to said exhaust opening, and

(g) means for controlling said fan in response to the output of said element.

13. A kitchen ventilating hood which comprises:

(a) an elongated casing sized to fit under a kitchen cabinet over a cooking area with an open front and an exhaust opening in the upper rear portion thereof,

(b) a filter drawer sized to fit in said casing having a perforate bottom panel, a perforate front panel, and irnperforate side panels, the upper and lower edges of the side panels having shallow longitudinal grooves therein,

(c) a pair of rollers mounted in each bottom front corner of said casing with the rollers of each pair spaced apart along said corners for registration in the bottom grooves of said side panels,

(d) at least one roller near each front upper corner of said casing to register in the top grooves in said side panels,

(e) a heat-sensitive element mounted in said drawer in the flow of air through perforations in said front panel,

(f) a fan mounted in said casing behind said drawer coupled to said exhaust opening, and

(g) means for controlling said fan in response to the output of said element.

14. The combination of claim 13 in which a spray unit is mounted in said drawer and is responsive to a predetermined temperature in said drawer to emit a fire depressant material.

15. A kitchen ventilating hood which comprises:

(a) an elongated casing sized to fit under a kitchen cabinet over a cooking area with an open front and an exhaust opening in the upper rear portion thereof,

(b) a filter drawer sized to lit in said casing having a perforate bottom panel, a perforate front panel, and imperforate side panels, the upper and lower edges of the side panels having shallow longitudinal grooves therein,

(c) a pair of rollers mounted in each bottom front corner of said casing with the rollers of each pair spaced apart along said corners for registration in the bottom grooves of said side panels,

(d) at least one roller near each front upper corner of said casing to register in the top grooves in said side panels,

(e) a heat-sensitive element mounted in said drawer in the flow of air through perforations in said front panel,

(f) a fan mounted in said casing behind said drawer coupled to said exhaust opening,

(g) detent means to hold said drawer closed normally to maintain said fan de-energized, and

(h) means for energizing said fan at a low level in response to said element reaching a first temperature and to release said detent means to energize said fan at a high level in response to said element reaching a second and higher temperature.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,182,106 12/1939 Ames 981 15 3,031,946 5/1962 Watt 98-115 3,207,058 9/ 1965 Gaylord 98l 15 WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner. JOHN F. OCONNOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A VENTILATING DEVICE WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A FIVE-SIDED CASING HAVING A RECTANGULARLY OPEN FRONT FOR OPERATION ABOVE A COOKING AREA, (B) FAN MEANS SUPPORTED IN SAID CASING FOR DISCHARGE OF AIR THROUGH THE REAR PORTION OF SAID CASING, (C) A FILTER DRAWER IN SAID CASING HAVING A FRONT PANEL WITH A PERFORATE ZONE THEREIN, (D) A POWER CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID FAN MEANS INCLUDING A CONTROL ELEMENT IN SAID DRAWER ADJACENT TO SAID PERFORATE ZONE TO DRIVE SAID FAN MEANS AT A LOW SPEED WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF CONVECTION CURRENT FLOWING THROUGH SAID PERFORATE ZONE EXCEEDS A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, AND (E) A SEPARATE CIRCUIT RESPONSIVE TO THE OPENING OF SAID DRAWER TO DRIVE SAID FAN AT HIGH SPEED. 